Category: Content/Discipline Knowledge & Skills
Outcome: The student will be able to construct computer software solutions for simple programming problems. This will be assessed upon completion of the 3-hour course COP 3330, Object-oriented Programming.
Assessment and Evaluation Process:
This course is the first advanced programming course that CS majors take and thus represents a means of measuring this skill. The faculty instructor will collect the data from a capstone assignment. This will result in 80% of the students enrolled in COP3330 during academic year 2005-2006 scoring 70% or better as determined by a faculty designed comprehensive or capstone examination and assignment.
Results:
Fall 2007, main campus (Ford-Tyson): Twenty-four out of twenty-four students (100%) scored 70% or higher.
Fall 2007, PC and distance (Lacher): Twenty out of twenty-two students (91%) scored 70% or higher.
Spring 2008, main campus (Myers): Twenty-two out of 27 students (81%) scored 70% or higher.
Summer 2008, main campus (Finlayson): Seventeen out of eighteen students (90%) scored 70% or higher.
Actions:
While we are generally satisfied that this outcome is being met, we plan to improve our assessment by establishing a common scoring rubric for use across all offerings of the course. We hope that this will improve comparability of results between course offerings, and that by collecting more detailed information about performance on individual items within the rubric we may be able to get a better picture of our students' strengths and weaknesses.
To make the connection to ABET/CAC accreditation requirements clearer, the description of the outcome will be expanded to include a list of the program outcomes required by the "new" ABET/CAC Criteria for Accrediting Computing Programs that are supported by this student outcome, namely: (c) an ability to design, implement, and evaluate a computer-based system, process, component, or program to meet desired needs (i) an ability to use current techniques, skills, and tools necessary for computing practice (k) an ability to apply design and development principles in the construction of software systems of varying complexity (low complexity case).
The IEP classification of the assessment will be changed to "course embedded assignment", to more accurately reflect that the assessment does not involve an examination (just a programming assignment).
Files:
COP3330 Offerings:
| Term | Instructor | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2007, PC | R. C. Lacher | lacher@cs.fsu.edu |
| Fall 2007 | Ann Ford-Tyson | aftyson@cs.fsu.edu |
| Spring 2008 | Bob Myers | myers@cs.fsu.edu |
| Summer 2008 | Ian Finlayson | if07@fsu.edu |
Category: Communication Skills
Outcome:
The student will be able to formulate an oral presentation, with an accompanying written document, on a large programming project or programming languages topic. This will be assessed upon completion of the 3-hour course COP4020, Programming Languages, or CEN4010, Software Engineering (for SE majors).
Assessment and Evaluation Process:
Although all undergraduate students are required to take an oral competency course, this course has oral communication in the discipline. The presentation will be evaluated and data collected by the instructor. This will result in 80% of the students in COP4020 or CEN4010 during academic year scoring 70% or better as determined by a class performance or presentation.
Results:
Fall 2007, COP4020, main campus (Baker): Thirty-five out of thirty-five students in the course (100%) scored 70% or higher.
Fall 2007, CEN4021 (alias CIS4930), PC and distance (Stoecklin): Seventeen out of seventeen students in the course (100%) scored 70% or higher.
Spring 2008, CEN4010, main campus (Gaitros): Thirty out of thirty-three students in the course (91%) scored 70% or higher.
Actions:
The assessment and the courses seem to be achieving their goals.
In 2007, in response to a recommendation from the department's Industry Advisory Board, the department decided to require all CS majors to take CEN4010. Previously, CS majors took COP4020 and SE majors took CEN4010, so the oral presentation assessment was done in both courses. Now, all CS and SE majors will do an assessed oral presentation and a written report in CEN4010 (renamed CEN4021). Therefore, the individual oral presentation and report requirement have been removed from COP4020. This change also solved a credit-anomaly problem with COP4020, that it required four 4 hours of class meeting time for a 3 credit-hour course, in order to have time for all the in-class presentations.
More recently, in response to criticism by the 2007 ABET/CAC reviewers of the amount of coverage of social and ethical issues in computing, the department has instituted a new course, which will include two oral debates for each student. Oral presentation competency will be developed in that course, but will continue to be assessed in CEN4021.
To make the connection to ABET/CAC accreditation requirements clearer, the description of the outcome will be expanded to include a list of the program outcomes required by the "new" ABET/CAC Criteria for Accrediting Computing Programs that are supported by this student outcome, namely: (f) an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences; (g) an ability to communicate effectively.
Files:
COP4020 Offerings:
| Term | Instructor | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2008 | Ted Baker | baker@cs.fsu.edu |
CEN4010/CEN4020 Offerings:
| Term | Instructor | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2007, PC | Sara Stoecklin | stoeckli@cs.fsu.edu, sstoecklin@pc.fsu.edu |
| Spring 2008 | David Gaitros | gaitrosd@cs.fsu.edu |
Category: Content/Discipline Knowledge & Skills
Outcome:
The student will be able to use such basic data structures as linked lists, stacks, queues, and trees in programs. This will be assessed upon completion of the 3-hour course COP 4530, Data Structures, Algorithms and Generic Programming.
Assessment and Evaluation Process:
The faculty instructor will collect data on the performance demonstrated in the capstone activity. This will result in 80% of the students enrolled in COP 4530 during scoring 70% or better on a capstone course evaluation.
Results:
Fall 2007, main campus (Duan): 76% of the students completed at least 70% of the objectives of the assignment.
Spring 2008, main campus (Srinivasan): 85% of the students completed at least 70% of the objectives of the assignment.
Spring 2008, PC and distance (Lacher): 93% of the students completed at least 70% of the objectives of the assignment.
Actions:
While we are generally satisfied that this outcome is being met, we plan to improve our assessment by establishing a common scoring rubric for use across all offerings of the course. We hope that this will improve comparability of results between course offerings, and that by collecting more detailed information about performance on individual items within the rubric we may be able to get a better picture of our students' strengths and weaknesses.
To make the connection to ABET/CAC accreditation requirements clearer, the description of the outcome will be expanded to include a list of the program outcomes required by the "new" ABET/CAC Criteria for Accrediting Computing Programs that are supported by this student outcome, namely: (a) an ability to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics appropriate to the discipline (graph theory, big-O notation) (i) an ability to use current techniques, skills, and tools necessary for computing practice.
Files:
COP4530 Offerings:
| Term | Instructor | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2007 | Zhenhai Duan | duan@cs.fsu.edu |
| Spring 2008 | Ashok Srinivasan | asriniva@cs.fsu.edu |
| Spring 2008, PC | R.C. Lacher | lacher@cs.fsu.edu |
Category: Content/Discipline Knowledge & Skills
Outcome:
The student will be able to use standard recursive algorithmic techniques for the solution of complex problems in computer science. This will be assessed upon completion of the 3-hour course COP4530, Data Structures, Algorithms and Generic Programming.
Assessment and Evaluation Process:
This is an important skill for a CS major and data on this will be collected by the faculty instructor from a capstone activity. This will result in 80% of the students enrolled in COP 4530 during scoring 70% or better as determined by a capstone course evaluation.
Results:
Fall 2007, main campus (Duan): 70% of the students completed at least 70% of the objectives of the assignment.
Spring 2008, main campus (Srinivasan): 100% of the students completed at least 70% of the objectives of the assignment.
Spring 2008, PC and distance learning (Lacher): this outcome was not assessed.
Actions:
While we are generally satisfied that this outcome is being met, we plan to improve our assessment by establishing a common scoring rubric for use across all offerings of the course. We hope that this will improve comparability of results between course offerings, and that by collecting more detailed information about performance on individual items within the rubric we may be able to get a better picture of our students' strengths and weaknesses.
To make the connection to ABET/CAC accreditation requirements clearer, the description of the outcome will be expanded to include a list of the program outcomes required by the "new" ABET/CAC Criteria for Accrediting Computing Programs that are supported by this student outcome, namely: (a) an ability to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics appropriate to the discipline (graph theory, big-O notation) (i) an ability to use current techniques, skills, and tools necessary for computing practice.
Files:
COP4530 Offerings:
| Term | Instructor | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2007 | Zhenhai Duan | duan@cs.fsu.edu |
| Spring 2008 | Ashok Srinivasan | asriniva@cs.fsu.edu |
| Spring 2008, PC | R.C. Lacher | lacher@cs.fsu.edu |
Category: Critical Thinking Skills
Outcome:
The student will be able to analyze the computational complexity of algorithms used in the solution of a programming problem. This will be assessed upon completion of the 3-hour course COP4531, Complexity and Analysis of Data Structures and Algorithms.
Assessment and Evaluation Process:
This is an important skill for a computer scientist to have in order to be able to analyze and evaluate the best approach to solving a problem. This skill will be evaluated by the faculty instructor in a course assignment. This will result in 80% of the students enrolled in COP4531 during scoring 70% or better as determined by a capstone course evaluation.
Results:
Fall 2007, PC and distance (Lacher): Nineteen out of twenty-five students (79%) scored 70% or higher.
Spring 2008, main campus (Kumar): Thirty-three out of forty-seven students (70%) scored 70% or higher.
Actions:
We see a potential for improving the consistency of the assessment between the various offerings, by having the instructors use a common scoring rubric for assessing this outcome, and design their assignments to cover all the elements of the common rubric. A goal for next year will be for the instructors of the course to devise and use a common rubric for scoring the assessment. We hope that this will also allow us to extract a more detailed picture of student performance, by breaking out scores on various categories within the rubric, in addition to the overall score for the assignment.
To make the connection to ABET/CAC accreditation requirements clearer, the description of the outcome will be expanded to include a list of the program outcomes required by the "new" ABET/CAC Criteria for Accrediting Computing Programs that are supported by this student outcome, namely: (a) an ability to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics appropriate to the discipline (graph theory, big-O notation, recurrences) (j) an ability to apply mathematical foundations, algorithmic principles, and computer science theory in the modeling and design of computer-based systems in a way that demonstrates comprehension of the tradeoffs involved in design choices.
Files:
COP4531 Offerings:
| Term | Instructor | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2007, PC | R.C. Lacher | lacher@cs.fsu.edu |
| Spring 2008 | Piyush Kumar | piyush@cs.fsu.edu |
Category: Content/Discipline Knowledge & Skills
Outcome:
The student will be able to use both relational and object-oriented databases. This will be assessed upon completion of the 3-hour course COP4710, Theory and Structure of Databases.
Assessment and Evaluation Process:
IEP method classification: "capstone course evaluation"
As databases become increasingly prevalent in business and industry, a CS major needs to have expertise in the area. The faculty instructor will collect data on a capstone activity in databases. This will result in 80% of the students enrolled in COP4710 during scoring 70% or better as determined by a capstone course evaluation.
Results:
This course was offered three times in 2007-2008, by two different instructors.
Fall 2007, PC and distance (Lockwood): 100% of the students who turned in the assignment scored 70% or better.
Spring 2008, main campus (Li): 96% of the students in the class (100% of those who turned in an assignment) scored 70% or better
Summer 2008, PC and distance (Lockwood): Fifteen of the sixteen students who turned in the assignment (94%) scored 70% or better.
Actions:
For next year, the statement of the outcome will be revised to eliminate the mention of object-oriented databases. The course committee agrees that object-oriented databases have turned out to be a short-lived idea, and that the relational model dominates the field. It is not practical to have students do significant projects in both models. Therefore, the course and the assessment will focus on relational databases.
To make the connection to ABET/CAC accreditation requirements clearer, the description of the outcome will be expanded to include a list of the program outcomes required by the "new" ABET/CAC Criteria for Accrediting Computing Programs that are supported by this student outcome, namely: (i) an ability to use current techniques, skills, and tools necessary for computing practice; (j) an ability to apply mathematical foundations, algorithmic principles, and computer science theory in the modeling and design of computer-based systems in a way that demonstrates comprehension of the trade-offs involved in design choices (relational algebra).
The classification of the assessment method will be changed for "capstone course evaluation" to "course embedded assignment", to more accurately reflect the actual assessment method that has been used for the past several years. The instructors of the course will work together to develop a common generic description of a course project, and a common scoring rubric, so that results will be more comparable across the offerings of the course.
Files:
COP4710 Offerings:
| Term | Instructor | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2007 | Raymond W. Lockwood | rwlockwood@fsu.edu, rwl06@fsu.edu |
| Spring 2008 | FeiFei Li | lifeifei@cs.fsu.edu | Summer 2008 | Raymond W. Lockwood | rwlockwood@fsu.edu, rwl06@fsu.edu |
Category: Content/Discipline Knowledge & Skills
Outcome:
The student will be able to use an assembly language to write a simple program. This will be assessed upon completion of the 3-hour course CDA3100, Computer Organization I.
Assessment and Evaluation Process:
IEP method classification: "capstone course evaluation"
This is an important skill for a CS major as a means of better understanding higher-level programming languages, and also as a means of programming embedded systems. The skill will be evaluated by the faculty instructor via a capstone activity in the area. This will result in 80% of the students enrolled in CDA3100 in 2005-2006 scoring 70% or better as determined by a capstone course evaluation.
Results:
This course was offered three times in 2007-2008, by different instructors.
Fall 2007, Panama City and distance (Leach): Nine out of ten students (90%) scored 70% or higher.
Fall 2007, main campus (Liu): Twenty-eight out of 32 registered students turned in the assignment, and 22 (79%) of those who turned in the assignment scored 70% or higher.
Spring 2008, main campus (Zhang): Eighteen out of twenty students (90%) scored 70% or higher.
Actions:
The assessments confirm that students in this course are able to write simple assembly language programs. There is some variation from semester to semester and instructor to instructor, but we do not plan any significant change in the required outcome or our goal. We do xintend to revise the description of the assessment method, to reflect that the assessment is via a course-embedded assignment rather than a capstone assignment, and to work toward improving the comparability of results between course offerings.
We see a potential for improving the consistency of the assessment between the various offerings, by having the instructors use a common scoring rubric. A goal for next year will be for the instructors of the course to devise and use a common rubric for scoring the assembly language program used for the assessment. We hope that this will also allow us to extract a more detailed picture of student performance, by breaking out scores on various categories within the rubric, in addition to the overall score for the assignment.
Files:
CDA3100 Offerings:
| Term | Instructor | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2007 | Xiuwen Liu | liux@cs.fsu.edu |
| Spring 2008 | Zhenghao Zhang | zzhang@cs.fsu.edu |
| Fall 2007 | Stephen Leach | leach@cs.fsu.edu |
Category: Program Outcome
Outcome:
By the end of the degree, the program will integrate knowledge of theoretical and applied foundations of computer science to provide the student with skills that will remain current as specific technologies change.
Assessment and Evaluation Process:
Graduating seniors are requested to complete an exit survey which includes information on employment or graduate school plans. This data is collected by the departmental undergraduate advisor. This will result in 80% of those graduating during the academic year from the program being employed in field or being accepted into graduate schools, as evidenced by survey results.
Results:
Exit surveys:
The data show we fell below our goal for the fall term. Our analysis leads us to believe this is not a cause for concern. The undergraduate adviser reports that students who did not report they had obtained employment did have interviews scheduled. We conjecture that the low result may be due to the time of graduation and the time at which the survey was administered. That is, employers tend to recruit more heavily in the spring term, and some students who graduate in a fall term postpone serious job-hunting until after the winter holidays.
The department has never learned from a graduate that they had trouble finding professional employment, or found out after employment that their academic preparation was insufficient.
Actions:
This outcome was a subject of criticism by our ABET/CAC accreditation review team. They felt that we have not been adequately assessing it, and that it includes elements (such as skills remaining current as specific technologies change) that are inherently difficult or impossible to assess. The department was forced to admit that while the title of this outcome matches the assessment method, neither the title nor the assessment method matches the statement of the outcome. Therefore, for 2008-2009, the department intends to revise the outcome, as follows:
The program will produce graduates with skills and knowledge of theoretical and applied computer science sufficient to qualify for professional employment or admission to graduate school.
We also intend to revise the description of the assessment methods, include all of the actual data sources the department has been using. Specifically, we intend to include all of the following:
Exit surveys: The department would like to improve the response rates on its exit surveys. However, participation is voluntary. The undergraduate adviser spends a considerable effort tracking down graduates and persuading them to complete the exit survey, but does not always succeed. The department is considering development of a Web-based survey instrument, to make it easier to respond. The department is also considering making completion of the survey a formal requirement for graduation; however, it seems that cannot be implemented until the next edition of the FSU Bulletin.
Year-out Surveys: These surveys have been conducted every term, addressed to students who graduated one year earlier. The year-out survey is important, since it should enable us to find out what happened to students who were still interviewing at the time they completed the exit survey, and can tell better than the exit interviews how well the program actually prepared them for success in employment or graduate school. The responses received indicate that the students have found professional employment or graduate education. However, obtaining high response rates is more difficult than the exit survey, mainly due to lack of accurate addresses. In order to obtain a larger number of responses, we will extend it to include graduates who are 1-5 years out. We hope to be able to do this using a Web-based instrument.
Advisory Board input: The department solicits evaluations of the adequacy of its students' preparation from members of its Industry Advisory Board, and from other employers who visit the campus. Last year, the board suggested several improvements to the curriculum, including requirement of the second semester of the software engineering sequence for all students, which we are currently implementing. This year, there were no other suggestions.
Progress in graduate school: The department tracks the progress of those of its undergraduates who are admitted to its own graduate program. This information is reviewed each term by the department's chair and its director of undergraduate studies. All of the FSU students accepted have made satisfactory progress in graduate school, for at least the last 3 years.
Files:
Responsible Individual: Betty Stanton (stanton@cs.fsu.edu)